Device for rowing a boat with one hand



Feb 16, 1954 F. c. MOLLENHAUER 2,668,965

DEVICE FOR Rowmc A' BOAT WITH QNE HAND Filed Jan. 7, 1950 I INVENTOR. 'afrea italien/maal:

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 DEVICE` FOR ROWING A BOAT WIT-H GNE HAND Fotiest QiMoHeniianer, Center Point, Iowa.

Application January 7, 1950, Serial No. 13%469 invention relates tov a rowing device. and more particularly to device for rowing. abeatw-itn one hand e device Whioh permits a person to .operate two oars of a rovvboat and Control. maneuvering thereof. by usine one hand. only is oi great use and advantage to a disabled person who has 10st the use of one ofhisy arme, andy also to fishermen who desiretQ east or troll. .for sh with one .hand while rowing and maneuvering the. boat with the other n d- ."ihne, one of the obieete of this. invention is` to provide a novel and improved. device. which will enable a. persony to operate the two oars of a rowboat and properly` Qontrol and maneuver the, .same by usingonly one hand.,

Another object of this invention is toprovide a device for rowine a boat. with oneY hand and which. device permits retaining. the feel of all of the movement of the oars and imparts said feel to the operator.

A further object of this. invention. is, to provide a device which will enable a, person to operate the two oars of a rowboat by. using only one hand and which, Will also permit use of` but af eins-1e oar for pnrpoeesof inanipnlatine` and steerine'the boat,-

A still further objectl of this.l invention is te provide a novel, and improved oar .for use, with a devieefor rowing a boat. with one-hand; and which may also .be used as. a. conventional: oar in the normal manner- And Stili a further object vof this, invention is to provide a device for rowing a. boat with one hand which will automatically position the hand grip centrally during the rowing operation without fixing the oars to the oarlocks'.

yFurther objects and advantages of this invention will become'apparent as the following description proceeds andthe features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view of; a fragmentary portion of'a boat where the oars are mounted, showing the novel device for rowing the boat` with one hand, The one hand. rowing device is Shown, inf two positions,y the center-position, shown in dot and dash outline, in which the oars extend oppositelyandin alignment. and a displaced position throughv which the oars pass during a' typicalA rowing; operation.

,Eig-ure, .is a transverse, ^sectionalzvievv :or they l oar blade 2l.

boat and showing the one handy rowing device, in two positions. In the full line position both oars are shown as they would bev used in a nere mal rowing operation. The second position, inv which the hand grip andv one oar areshownin dot and dash outline, shows the manner in which the. oars are positioned forusing'but'a single oar in rowing.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the oarsl and hand grip assembly showing the construction details more. clearly.

Figure 4 is a side. view ofthe oar andhand grip of Figure v3, With portions in section to show details of construction.

Figure 5 is a face` View of: the, oarloch; with thethereon plates; I3 adaptedr to receive pins. |55 ofv oarlocks ld. Plates I3 are secured to. the` boats: sides I2 by means of screws lr3a. as shown in Figure 5. A device. for rowinaa boat with one,

hand is indicated generally by numeral t6'. and;

compr-ieee. a nan' of oars lt and a hand.- grin-v id A pair of waiver salv joints: la. are sexnireditn-v and interconnect tneen'ds. of theV hand grip. taf and the pair of oars I1..

Referring to Figures 3, t and 5, the oars l1 are shown comprising an oar shank 20 and an The oar blade 2| extendsv from one end of oar shank; 2B and the` hand grip lai is connected to the other end of oarshank 28. The inboardV end ory hand grip endlof they oar shank Z6 has a tapped hole- 22` therein for ree. ceiving a threaded connecting member., Asshown in Figures 3 and et, said connecting member is a threaded studL 23, constituting a part of the unie, versal joint assembly I9, and connects hand grip I8. to an. oar shank 2D.

The oar shank` 2! in regular oars is. generally cylindrical in shapeV but in the present. constructtion the oai' shank 2t has; a linear portionlll` which is nonfcircular in cross section, as seeny in Figure 5. This portion 24, as seen in Figure 5,

is oan oblong-cylindric form with a pair offliat'A The handle end 2Go. of' the can' shank` 20ct of the oar shank'` 2U isflocatedinboard of?" the oar lock I4 and extends over a relatively small portion of the length of the oar shank, as compared to the length of the non-cylindrical portion 24 of the oar shank.

The oarlock I4, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, comprises an upright U-shaped portion 25 and a pivot pin I5 extending downward from the lower portion of the U-shaped portion 25. The arms 26 of the U-shaped portion 25 bound therebetween a recess 21 which, as shown, is of greater depth than width. The width of recess 21 is slightly greater than the width of the oblongcylindric portion 24 of the oar shank 20. Theoblong-cylindric portion 24 of oar shank 20 is slidably positioned in the recess 21. The lower surface 28 of recess 21 is rounded so that the area of contact surface between oarlock I4v and the oar l1 is small, thus eliminating excess fric-V tion.

The arms 26 of oarlock I4 cooperate with the flat faces of the oblong-cylindric portion 24 of oar shank 20 to prevent rotation of oar I1 in the oarlock recess 21. The ob1ong-cylindric portion 24 of oar shank 20 is so positioned in the oarlock recess 21 that the oar blade 2| is always in operative rowing attitude. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the maximum dimension of the oblong-cylindric portion 24 is substantially Vertical and lies substantially in the same plane as does the oar blade 2|.

A chain 29` is secured at one end to oarlock I4 and at the other end to a point on the oar shank 20 remote withk respect to the oarlock. This chain 29 lies outboard of the boat and acts to restrict the outboard motion of the oar I1 through the oarlock I4 in a manner as will be described below. These chains 29 are detachably connected to both the oarlock I4 and the oar I1 in any well known manner.

As shown in Figure 6, the oars as indicated at I1a may also be used as normal oars. Handles 30, having threaded connecting studs 23a may be secured to oar shanks 29 to produce a conventional oar. Regular oarlocks, not shown, having a circular ring for carrying the oar may also be used. The oblong-cylindric portion 24 of oar shank 20 will act as a full cylinder in such an oarlock since the maximum dimension of portion 24 is the same as the diameter of the full cylinder. Appropriate detachable means (not shown) may also be provided for limiting the motion of the oar I1a in the regular oarlock.

Operation When the oars I1 are in a straight opposed position, shown by the dot and dash line view in Figure 1, the chains 29 are extended to their greatest extent and limit further outward movement of the oars. At any other position which the oars will assume during the rowing operation, one or both of chains 29 will be in a lesser extended position and will therefore be slack.

During the rowing operation, as the rower moves the hand grip I8 from the dot and dash line position in Figure 1 to the solid line position in Figure 1, the oars I1 will bear against the arms 26 of the oarlocks I4 and provide pivots for the oars I1. Simultaneously the oars will slide in recesses 21, moving through recesses 21 in an inboard direction. As the oars I1 move inboard the ends of each chain 29 will move closer to each other and the chains will become slack.

As the rower moves the oars I1 through the rowing cycle, the oars will pass from the solid line position in Figure 1 through the dot anddash line position in Figure 1. As the oars I1 are oscillated about the straight opposed position shown by the dot-dash line View in Figure 1, the oars l1 will reciprocatingly slide in recesses 21 of oarlocks I4 in an inboard and outboard direction. The greatest outboard extension of the oars I1 will take place when the oars I1 are in the straight opposed position.

As described above, the chains 29 are extended to their greatest extent when the oars are in the straight opposed position. Since in every rowing operation the oars I1 are oscillated through, or in the vicinity of, this straight opposed position it will be seen that these chains 29 automatically serve to centrally position the entire rowing device I9 during the rowing operation. Such central positioning is highly desirable since the eiciency of a rowing operation is largely dependent upon the uniformityy of stroke of both oars.

When the chains 29v are disconnected, the cylindrical portion 29a of the oar shank, inboard of the oarlock I4, cooperates with the arms 26 of oarlock I4 to prevent the oar I1 from sliding outboard through recess 21. Thus it can be seen that even with the chains 29 detached the entire rowing device I6 will still be positioned to permit a rowing operation.

To operate a single oar at a time, the rowing device I5 is manipulated substantially into a position as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 2. The hand grip I9 is turned to a substantially upright position. The outboard movement of the oar that is being used is restricted by the chain 29. The oar that is not being used slides inboard through recess 21 of oarlock i4. lt will be noted that the inboard movement of the unused oar brings the center of gravity of the unused oar closer to the oarlock i4. With the lower surface 28 which bounds recess 21, acting as a fulcrum point, the raising of the unused oar from the water is made with less effort on the part of the rower when the center of gravity of the unused oar is closer to the oarlock.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for rowing a boat with one hand comprising a pair of oarlocks mounted to pivot about spaced upright axes, each oarlock having a recess therein of non-circular cross section, an oar for each oarlock, each oar having an elongated oar shank extending through the recess in the oarlock with one portion of the oar disposed inboard of the oarlock and another portion of the oar disposed outboard of the oarlock, said oar shank and the portion of the oarlock which bounds said oarlock recess having cooperating portions which permit sliding longitudinal movement of the oar shank within the oarlock recess,

said cooperating portions of the oar shank and oarlock being operative to substantially prevent rotation of the oar shank in the oarlock recess,

and a hand grip connecting the inboard ends of said oars. v

2. A device for rowing a boat with one hand comprising a pair ci oarlocks mounted to pivot oarlock being operative to substantially prevent rotation of the oar shank in the oarlock recess, means operatively associated with the oars and the oarlocks for limiting longitudinal movement` of the oars through the oarlocks in outboard directions, and a hand grip connecting the inboard ends of said oars.

3. A device for rowing a boat with one hand comprising a pair of oarlocks mounted to pivot about spaced upright axes, each oarlock having a recess therein of non-circular cross section, an oar for each oarlock, each oar having an elongated oar shank extending through the recess in the oarlock With one portion of the oar disposed inboard of the oarlock and another portion of the oar disposed outboard of the oarlock, said oar shank and the portion of the oarlock Which bounds said oar lock recess having cooperating portions which permit sliding longitudinal movement of the oar shank `Within the oarlock recess, said cooperating portions of the oar shank and oarlock being operative to substantially prevent rotation of the oar shank in the oarlock recess, a flexible member of a predetermined length connecting said portion of the oar which is disposed outboard of the oarlock to the associate oarlock, said flexible member being operative to limit the longitudinal movement of the oar through the oarlock in the outboard direction, and a hand grip connecting the inboard ends of said oars.

4. A device for rowing a boat with one hand comprising a pair of oarlocks mounted to pivot about spaced upright axes, each oarlock having a recess therein of non-circular cross section, an oar for each oarlock, each oar having an elongated oar shank extending through the recess in the oarlock with one portion of the oar disposed inboard of the oarlock and another portion of the oar disposed outboard of the oarlock, said oar shank and the portion of the oarlock which bounds said oarlock recess having cooperating portions which permit sliding longitudinal movement of the oar shank Within the oarlock recess, said cooperating portions of the oar shank and oarlock being operative to substantially prevent rotation of the oar shank in the oarlock recess, an enlargement of the inboard portion of the oar for engaging portions of the oarlock to limit movement of the oar in an outboard direction through the oarlock, and a hand grip connecting the in- -board ends of said oars.

5. A device for rowing a boat with one hand 6 comprising a pair of oarlocks mounted to pivot about spaced upright axes, each oarlock having a recess therein of non-circular cross section, an oar tor each oarlock, each oar having an eiongaed oar shank extending through the recess in the oarlock with one portion of the oar disposed inboard of the oarlock and another portion of the oar disposed outboard or the oarlock, said oar shank and the portion of the oarlock which bounds said oarlock recess having cooperating portions which permit sliding longitudinal movement 0f the oar shank Within the oarlock recess, said cooperating portions of the oar shank and oarlock being operative to substantially preventl rotation of the oar shank in the oarlock recess, a hand grip, and universal joints connecting said hand grip to the inboard ends of the oars.

6. A device Y For rowing a boat with one hand comprising a pair of oarlocks mounted to pivot about spaced upright axes, each oarlock having a recess therein of non-circular cross section, the recess in the oarlock having a greater depth than Width, an oar for each oarlock, each oar having an elongated oar shank extending through the recess in the oarlock with one portion of the oar shank disposed inboard of the oarlock and another portion of the oar shank disposed outboard of the oarlock, the cross section of the oar shank being non-circular, the maximum Width of said oar shank cross section being less than the Width of the oarlock recess, the maximum height of the oar shank cross section being greater than the Width of the oarlock recess, said relative dimensions of the oar shank and oarlock defining cooperating portions of the oar shank and oarlocks which permit sliding longitudinal movement of the oar shank within the oarlock recess, said cooperating portions being operative to prevent rotation of the oar shank in the oarlock recess, and a hand grip connecting the inboard ends of the oars.

' FORREST C. MOLLENHAUER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 95,754 Angers Oct. 12, 1869 155,050 Stuck Sept. 15, 1874 383,244 Pheatt May 22, 1888 522,201 Fraker July 3, 1894 853,401 DoXsie May 14, 1907 1,319,356 Olsen Oct. 21, 1919 1,949,635 Skindel et al. Mar. 6, 1934 1,958,008 MacDougall May I8, 1934 1,990,114 Burr Feb. 5, 1935 2,259,678 Bolton Oct. 21, 1941 2,444,683 Snip July 6, 1948 2,593,822 Wendt et al Apr. 22, 1952 CTHER REFERENCES Publication: Popular Mechanics, page 159 Aug. 1949. 

